How to Ensure Good Dental Hygiene in Children

Oral health and dental hygiene are one of the biggest factors in the overall health and well-being of a child. However, oral health is often overlooked or misunderstood by parents and it can lead to problems for their children. Infections, loss of teeth, discolouration and bad positioning can be the worst consequences of poor practice when it comes to your child’s dental health.

With that in mind, what can you do to help ensure that your child has good dental hygiene as a child, as well as making sure they develop good habits in the future?

Brush Daily

Getting into a regular routine with your child can be one of the best ways to set them up for a good future in terms of dental hygiene. Brushing needs to begin as soon as your child’s first baby tooth appears. You can buy special baby tooth wipes or a soft baby toothbrush in order to do this when they are very young. As they get older and learn to brush themselves, you need to introduce the use of toothpaste. Ensure they use a child’s toothpaste until they have learnt the ability to spit out excess.

Limit Sugar Intake

Sugar can be really damaging to what we know as our child’s ‘baby’ teeth. Fizzy drinks and juice are typically the worst for this and most likely what your child will come into contact with in their day to day lives. So endeavour from an early age to cut out sugary and acidic drinks, also, as these can wear down your child’s teeth while they are still growing. Make them a very special treat and it should not impact your child’s tooth too much.

Regular Checkups

If your child does develop bad habits or a problem occurs (such as a cavity or bad alignment) then it is important to get checked regularly to avoid future problems, though it is possible to get lingual braces as an adult if needed. Ideally, you want to help avoid costly dental procedures for your child when they become an adult. In extreme cases, if left untreated, your child may require dental implants Warrington in future.

Well-Balanced Diets

Ultimately, one of the biggest contributors to ensuring your child has good oral hygiene from a young age is providing them with a well-balanced diet. This means including all of the major food groups in their daily intake – carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Proper hydration also needs to be maintained every day to avoid serious health issues. Prior to turning one year old and up to three-years-old, milk intake is vital to help ensure the dental health of your child.

Being vigilant about oral health is an important aspect of parenthood and something you need to be aware of from day one. The better prepared you are, the better your child’s oral health will be now and in the future. Poor dental health can lead to both emotional and monetary costs later in your child’s life which are better avoided.